[Swprograms] SCA Haitian radio in Flatbush

[Joel Rubin <jmrubin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I believe there is or was a Colombian SCA station affiliated with
Caracol in Corona, Queens.

There's a Haitian creole program on WUNR, Brookline, MA (1600) at 0130
(0030 Summer) GMT Thursday after Das Yiddishe Kol (yv.org)

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/story/276488p-236843c.html

A Haitian station - if
you know how to pick it up

Radio

By DAVID HINCKLEY
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

You won't find Radio Soleil on your regular radio dial. But if you
visit any of the area's half-million Haitians, odds are good you'll
find it on theirs.

"We tie the Haitian community together," says Ricot Dupuy, station
manager and co-owner of Radio Soleil, which has offices on Nostrand
Ave. in Brooklyn.

Radio Soleil is one of many stations, most of which carry ethnic
programming, that are known as "subcarriers." They broadcast from the
transmitters of regular stations - in this case, WSKQ - but picking up
their signal requires a special receiver.

Happily, those receivers are inexpensive, so they are common in
immigrant homes. "On regular radio, you might get an occasional
program for Haitians," says Dupuy. "We have Haitian programs 24/7."

That includes a full-service mix of music, news and talk. From 6:30 to
8:30 a.m., for instance, it links with Melody-FM in Haiti to carry
news from the island.

"Haitians are hungry for news," says Dupuy. "Unfortunately, Haiti is
marked by a lot of instability, so it is important to have a direct,
immediate connection."

On the other end of the scale, Radio Soleil also acknowledges that its
listeners are living in the U.S. It follows immigration issues closely
and broadcasts some of its programming in English.

"We are about 40% French, 40% Creole and the rest English," says
Dupuy. "Some of our listeners, particularly the younger one who have
grown up here, are more comfortable with English."

Like regular broadcast stations, of course, subcarriers must make
enough money to stay in business. Some do this by selling receivers,
but Dupuy says Radio Soleil has reached the point where it is a
valuable advertising vehicle.

"We reach the whole Haitian community," he says. "And these are
hardworking people. They hold jobs. They buy things."

Radio Soleil recently launched a project that is both classic and
unique. It is sponsoring its own orchestra, a radio tradition that
goes back to the old NBC days of Arturo Toscanini.

The 12-piece Charanga Soleil recently played a well-attended dance at
Satalla, on W. 26th St., and it's scheduled to play another one there
next month.

"It's ambitious," says Al Angeloro, who with DJ Neva does a music show
at midnight on Fridays and was the primary force behind organizing the
orchestra. "The only other active radio orchestra today is in Finland.
But we think it can succeed here."

Besides appealing to the station's audience, Charanga Soleil gives the
musicians artistic possibilities it's hard to find elsewhere, says
Angeloro.

"They can play merengue, zouk, rumba, danzon, son, racine, whatever
they want," he says. "And the association with the station gives them
the exposure."

"In many Haitian homes," says Dupuy, "we are on 24 hours a day." 


_______________________________________________
Swprograms mailing list
Swprograms@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://dallas.hard-core-dx.com/mailman/listinfo/swprograms

To unsubscribe:  Send an E-mail to  swprograms-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe, or visit the URL shown above.